1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to porting a wireless number of a mobile station.
2. Description of Related Art
When a subscriber first obtains wireless communications service from a wireless service provider, the wireless service provider assigns a mobile station identification number MSIN (e.g., MIN, IMSI, etc.) and a mobile directory number (MDN) to the mobile station of the subscriber, wherein the MSIN is a number used by the wireless service provider to uniquely identify the subscriber and/or the mobile station, and the MDN is the telephone number of the mobile station. If the subscriber thereafter desires to switch to a new wireless service provider, the subscriber must surrender the MDN assigned to its mobile station by the old wireless service provider, and be assigned a new MDN by the new wireless service provider. Changing MDNs can be extremely inconvenient, especially if the MDN is used for business. Therefore, it would be convenient if a subscriber could take or xe2x80x9cportxe2x80x9d a MDN from one wireless service provider to another. In other words, it would be advantageous if a subscriber does not have to change the MDN when he or she switches wireless service providers. Furthermore, it would be advantageous for the subscriber to initiate porting of the MDN, and for the subscriber to have the MDN ported without having to physically visit either the old or new service provider.
In the method of porting a wireless number of a mobile station according to the present invention, a new service provider receives a porting request sent by a subscriber and sends a profile request to a current service provider of the subscriber in response to the porting request. The profile request requests profile information on the subscriber so that the new service provider can set up service for the subscriber. In a preferred embodiment, the porting request includes security information, and the current service provider receives the security information as part of the profile request. In this manner, the current service provider can verify that the subscriber has authorized sharing the subscriber""s profile with the new service provider.
Once verified, the current service provider sends the profile information for the subscriber to the new service provider. Then, the new service provider notifies the wireless number portability administration system of the wireless number porting. In response the administration system indicates a complete transfer of the wireless number, and the current and new service providers update their respective databases. The new service provider then has the subscriber reprogram his mobile station and informs the subscriber that porting of the wireless number is complete.